Gas burners are commonly used on the cooktops of household gas cooking appliances including e.g., range ovens and cooktop appliances built into cabinetry. For example, gas cooktops traditionally have at least one gas burner positioned at a cooktop surface for use in heating or cooking an object, such as a cooking utensil and its contents. Gas burners generally include an orifice that directs a flow of gaseous fuel into a fuel chamber. Between the orifice and the fuel chamber, the gaseous fuel entrains air, and the gaseous fuel and air mix within the fuel chamber before being ignited and discharged out of the fuel chamber through a plurality of flame ports.
Conventional cooktop appliances include grates positioned over the gas burners such that cooking utensils may be positioned directly over the gas burners for heating. During operation, the gas burners generate heat by combusting fuel such that the heat, flames, and exhaust gases travel along a bottom of the cooking utensil, up the side of the cooking utensil, and exhaust to the environment. However, when cooking utensils are heated in this manner, handles positioned on the side of the cooking utensil become very hot, excessive heat is discharged into the kitchen, and items placed too close to the burner may even ignite, thereby presenting various safety concerns.
Certain cooktop appliances include exhaust gas collection systems which utilize an exhaust fan to collect hot exhaust gases. However, cooktop appliances using such systems frequently fail to heat the entire bottom of the cooking utensil, particularly when large utensils are used. In addition, such systems frequently require very large exhaust fans to capture large volumes of exhaust gases and ambient air.
Accordingly, a cooktop appliance including an improved exhaust gas collection system would be desirable. More particularly, an exhaust gas collection system for a gas burner assembly that effectively heats utensils of all sizes, collects hot gases associated with such heating, and uses a smaller exhaust fan would be particularly beneficial.